TA: Arnold benched by Mourinho for poor defending; high salary keeps him at Real Madrid until 2031

Alexander-Arnold has become Real Madrid's third-choice right-back this season, struggling for playing time. The Athletic analyzed the player's current situation, reporting that Alexander-Arnold was benched by Mourinho due to defensive vulnerabilities, but his lucrative contract until 2031 makes a departure unlikely.

The report states that it is still too early to declare Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid a failure, but the transfer has clearly not progressed as expected.

The former Liverpool right-back joined the LaLiga giants 16 months ago, and it is becoming increasingly clear that this highly anticipated transfer has not unfolded as planned.

Summer signing Denzel Dumfries has been Real Madrid coach Mourinho's first choice at right-back since the start of the season. Recently, the team underwent a tactical adjustment, with Federico Valverde moved from midfield to right-back.

Unless Mourinho changes his mind or a teammate suffers an unexpected injury, Alexander-Arnold is unlikely to feature in the upcoming El Clásico against Barcelona at Camp Nou.

He remained on the bench for the entire 4-1 Champions League victory against RB Leipzig this week. In the last five matches, he has appeared only once, coming off the bench in the 52nd minute before the team shifted formation to have Valverde cover right-back.

In the summer of 2024, he made a bold and controversial decision, rejecting a contract extension from his boyhood club Liverpool to join Real Madrid as a free agent. His current marginalized position within the squad is far from what he envisioned when making that move.

During his peak at Anfield, he was confident and ambitious, aspiring to redefine the right-back position and even to become the first defender to win the Ballon d'Or. For a player with such high aspirations and a distinguished record, becoming the team's third-choice right-back is clearly unacceptable.

In October 2024, he told Sky Sports: "I want to create my own legacy, to be the greatest right-back ever. I want to aim high, that's the ceiling I believe I can reach."

Alexander-Arnold's ambition and pedigree were precisely why Real Madrid signed him. Florentino Pérez is adept at acquiring expiring-contract players—signing top international stars in their prime either on free transfers or at reduced fees. Alexander-Arnold's signing was led by the club president, as were the acquisitions of Toni Kroos, Thibaut Courtois, Antonio Rüdiger, Kylian Mbappé, and Ibrahima Konaté this summer.

The English player's first appearance at his new club impressed the Bernabéu faithful: he spoke fluent Spanish, telling fans, "Joining a club like Real Madrid is a dream come true."

But since then, that dream has remained largely unfulfilled.

Objectively, numerous external factors have played a role. During this turbulent period, both on and off the pitch, Alexander-Arnold is not alone in struggling to perform at his best.

Injuries have also plagued him consistently. In his first season after joining Real Madrid, he suffered muscle problems on three occasions, and his frequent absences prevented him from finding a stable rhythm and building sufficient chemistry with teammates. The team has also changed coaches multiple times since his arrival, which has further disrupted continuity.

Last season, Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa's management failed to stabilize the team or resolve dressing-room issues; this season, Mourinho has taken over and is still determining how best to utilize his talented squad.

Within the Bernabéu, no one questions Alexander-Arnold's outstanding long-range passing and expansive vision. In 41 appearances for Real Madrid, he has provided 8 assists, with many memorable moments, especially delivering precisely-weighted through balls to Mbappé.

However, the defensive and tactical deficiencies that concerned England managers Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel remain unresolved since his arrival in Spain.

During last season's Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich—when Alexander-Arnold was getting consistent playing time—both his strengths and weaknesses were fully exposed across the tie. In the first leg, he delivered a spectacular curving diagonal pass that pierced Bayern's defense to assist Mbappé's goal.

But crucially, a lapse in concentration and a positional error gave former Liverpool teammate Luis Díaz space to control the ball and score.

Real Madrid's summer signing of Dumfries from Inter for €25 million (approximately £20.9 million, or $28 million) sent a clear signal. Mourinho immediately installed the Dutch international in the starting lineup, with Dumfries starting five of the first six LaLiga and Champions League matches, demonstrating the coach's preference.

In the Champions League opening match at home against Inter in September, with several key players injured or suspended, Mourinho experimented by deploying Alexander-Arnold in midfield. The experiment failed; Inter dominated possession and control, and some Bernabéu supporters booed him before his substitution in the 79th minute.

More recently, the team needed tactical adjustments to address imbalances and inconsistent form, further limiting Alexander-Arnold's chances of regular playing time at right-back. Mourinho's solution was to deploy Valverde in that position.

Valverde has performed brilliantly at right-back in the Champions League comeback against Roma and in the 4-1 home victory over Sevilla in LaLiga. As club captain and a key figure in the dressing room, many believe Valverde must remain on the pitch, and right-back is currently his most suitable position.

Those close to Alexander-Arnold say he remains content at Real Madrid and is determined to secure a regular starting role and contribute to the team's success.

His contract runs until June 2031, and his substantial salary makes a near-term transfer unlikely. Liverpool supporters have some sympathy for his situation, but it is limited, and a return to Anfield in the foreseeable future is highly improbable.

Alexander-Arnold turned 28 earlier this month. In Real Madrid's first major test, a 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid in September, he did not feature. For a player of his caliber, third-choice right-back status is far from ideal.

Unless circumstances change unexpectedly, Alexander-Arnold will likely spend most, if not all, of the upcoming El Clásico on the bench.

Next week, teammates Mbappé, Vinicius Jr., and Bellingham will attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony—the same professional milestone Alexander-Arnold set for himself not long ago.

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